Currently, wireless network systems are common for the connection of telecommunication or computing devices with corresponding networks. A present development seeks to provide wireless technology for a broader range of applications, such as for the control of household or commercial appliances, e.g. lighting devices, temperature sensors, electricity meters or heating devices using wireless remote control units.
A main difficulty of such applications is that generally a relatively high number of devices need to be configured and maintained while providing a user with a simple configuration during set-up and ease of use during operation. Usually in such network systems, each participating device has a distinguishable network address, so that it is possible to direct messages to a chosen device using its network address or to a user-defined group of devices with the corresponding addresses. For example, in a network system having a remote control unit and multiple controllable lighting devices, the remote control unit needs to be able to address a control command to the desired device or to process received sensor readings appropriately.
In such network systems, it is therefore usually important that no address duplication occurs, i.e. that not more than one device is assigned the same network address. Especially in network systems using concurrent address allocation, e.g. in networks where addresses are assigned by multiple remote control units simultaneously, address duplication may easily occur and needs to be addressed.
Methods exist in the prior art to address the problem of address duplication in a network system. For example, US 2003/0020595 A1 discloses a system and a method for configuration of wireless networks using position information. The devices of the network system are provided with ultra-wideband radio transmitters to allow determining the distance between the devices.
According to the document, a specific binding procedure is initiated in the configuration stage of the wireless network system. During the binding procedure, a controller requests each device to send its respective preprogrammed address. The device closest to the controller is then chosen and all further devices are queried as to whether a further device shares the same network address. In case address duplication is detected, the affected devices are controlled to randomize their addresses. The process is then repeated for all devices and addresses until the binding and thus the configuration of the network system is complete.
The method disclosed in US 2003/0020595 A1 addresses the problem of address duplication.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a wireless network system, which enables a cost-efficient, easy and reliable configuration and operation of the system.